It could be a digital download priced at $1.99 or a hard copy selling for only $5.00. No matter how much money I'm going to save, I'm always tempted to make a quick purchase rather than walk away!

You see, I'm kind of slightly addicted to books. Fiction, non-fiction, business books, how to's….it really doesn't matter because I'm a sucker for them all.

But the frugal side of me refuses to spend all my hard earned money on something I'm probably going to only read once, then pass onto the library or the thrift store after I'm done.

So I searched for ways to feed this so-called addiction without spending a dime, and the following ideas and websites are ones I've collected and bookmarked as my absolute favorites. In fact, I rarely buy a single book anymore…..I have too many free ones I need to read anyway!

Where to Find FREE Paperback Books

1. Borrow Books from Friends and Family

This option is totally undervalued, but a great way to read free books. If you have a title you want to read, ask around to make sure no one else has a copy of it before you buy. I personally could have saved so much money if I had only checked with my friends first!

This website offers used books online which do require a small purchase up front, but get this—their Reading Rewards program is where you can score free paperback books! Every $50 you spend, you get a $5 coupon to use towards your next purchase. Because their books are so cheap, you can always get at least 1-2 for that amount.

3. Start a Book Blog

Bloggers can get hundreds of free books to review from various publishing companies. I actually had a book blog that was used completely for this purpose, and it fueled my reading habit for years!

Lately, I've been living off books from the library because they offer so many options! Even if they don't have the book you want in stock, they will often transfer it from a different library or buy a copy for their own shelves. Psst…the latest series I'm addicted to is The Selection by Kiera Cass. Buying them all separately would have cost me more than $50, but I read them all for FREE from the library!

Where to Find FREE eBooks

1. Join Story Cartel

Story Cartel offers free ebooks in exchange for an honest review, but you don't have to have a blog to sign up. An Amazon review is all they require! However, books are only free for a limited time, so make sure you snag the ones you really want.

2. Check Barnes and Noble's Free NOOK Books Page

B&N offers classics, short stories, fiction, and more on their freebies page. There's quite a large selection to choose from, and this is probably the best option I've found for NOOK owners.

The Bethany House division of Baker Publishing Group always has a list of monthly eBook freebies. Most are Christian Fiction reads and have very specific sale dates. Some are only available for one day, or for the whole month…it really depends which book it is.

5. Search for FREE eBooks on Amazon

Amazon offers a ton of FREE titles to download, you just have to know where to look! Here's how to do it:

Click the category that you'd like to search, then narrow by sub-category.

On the upper right hand side of the screen, there is a drop down box to sort your selection.

Choose Price: Low to High.

This gives you all the FREE books first, so you don't have to sort through all those daily deals. It's kind of a roundabout way to doing it (Amazon doesn't make this easy!), but you can use this process any category you want and find some hidden gems.

6. Sign Up for a FREE Trial of Kindle Unlimited

Kindle Unlimited typically costs $9.99 per month and offers unlimited books to read on your Kindle. However, you can read some of your favorites for FREE when you sign up for their 30-day trial! Just make sure to set a reminder on your phone to cancel if you don't want to continue with the monthly fee.

7. Follow Your Favorite Authors

Last but not least, make sure you're following your favorite authors on the social media channel you use most. Authors let their readers know exactly when books are FREE for a limited time, but you have to be following them to find out!

NOTE: If you want to take advantage of these FREE eBooks and don't have an eReading device, you can always download this free app, which lets you read Kindle ebooks right on your PC, tablet, or smartphone right away.

Whew! Now you have a bunch of new sites to bookmark the next time you want to find a new book to read!

Self-help books help reduce mega-stress and teach you plenty of life skills.

Now, I'd love to hear all about your favorite sites and ideas to find thousands of free books in the comments. I know there are some I probably missed!

What are your favorite places to find FREE books?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.Read my full disclosure policy here.

Most public library systems have Ebooks and audio books that you can download from home! It’s usually through Overdrive, which you can use on any tablet, phone, or through a Kindle. Many libraries allow you to request purchases, too, so even if they don’t have what you want, there’s a good chance that they will get it! I pretty much read exclusively from the library without ever having to go or pay a late fee.

I’ve recently discovered openlibrary.org, which is similar in concept to Project Gutenberg. It’s completely free and visitors can access about a jillion ebooks (excuse the incredibly mathematical term). Anybody can add books to the site and contribute descriptive information. I’ve found everything from obscure, out-of-print titles to Henry and Mudge books and Sue Grafton titles.

Just found your blog! It’s so great – I just started living on my own (with a new career) and am definitely looking for some creative ways to save as well as some tips. I’m guilty of spending too much money on paperback books, because I just love the feeling in my hands and the ability to flip through to whatever chapter I want. That being said, I have started to try and read some books on my iPad and it hasn’t been that horrible. It seems like it’s easier to get better deals on eBooks, so perhaps I’ll keep trying!

Great tips! Although paperback books no longer apply to me (I’m a full-time ebook reader), getting free digital books is one of my favorite pastimes. I also recommend ebooks.com to those who want to read more popular and renowned titles that are not offered free. For instance, you can’t really get New York Times Bestsellers without paying a sum. Ebooks.com offers 10% off on popular books. Also, Amazon has a bunch of classics that you can download for free into your Kindle.

Thanks for the great list! I’m actually surprised I haven’t heard of a lot of these because I’m a big reader too. Mostly I use my library which is part of a large network that can transfer books from other libraries, their online digital lending library, and Amazon Prime’s borrowing feature. I mostly only buy books I’ve already read and loved, and for those I usually buy them on eBay.

Oh also there’s Netgalley – http://www.netgalley.com which is free digital advanced reader’s copies as long as you provide an honest review on your blog and/or other review site. You have to be approved by the publisher, but as long as you’re an honest reviewer then you will more than likely be approved.

For really cheap books, try alibris.com. They have about a kajillion books for $.99! For the last few years, I haven’t managed to spend more on books than the shipping has cost. You can also find really expensive books, but their prices are the best I’ve seen. They also have music and movies. Can’t wait to work my way through your list!

This gem drives my life. Because, BOOKS!!!!!!!!http://freenovelonline.com BEST SITE EVER! Look up your book. Click on book (If they have it). Read book. (Drown in emotions and contemplate your life. Look up the book on Goodreads. Stalk author’s blog. Eat, Sleep, Repeat. For Life.)

I get almost all my books at garage sales, estate sales, or rummage sales. Prices are from $.25-$’s I have found great books, both hard back and paperback books for really cheap prices. ‘ I have found many history/military/WWII books for my husband, plus fiction/cooking/health books for myself. Have also bought kids’ books for relatives and friends’ children. When finished with my books, they go to friends to pass on and on.

You can win free books from different authors on Goodreads.com. If you fill out a short questionnaire, they will recommend books to you according to the genres you like. This is the goodreads website to enter contests to win books. https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/113400-will. If you look on the top right side of this page you will see the words All giveaways. Just click on this and it brings you to the contest site. Freebooksy.com is another site where you can get free books. They send you an e-mail every day with the books of the day which are free. You must choose your free books the day you receive the e-mail otherwise you will not be able to access these books the following day.

I can’t believe no one has commented this following website; librarything.com !

The site is like an online library, but on the page, librarything.com/more/freebooks, there are hundreds of paperback books, eBooks, and audiobooks for free, and won in simplegiveaways! There’s no limit to the amount of books you request either.

Paperback shipping is paid by the seller, and all you have to do in exchange is give a review on Amazon, or anywhere else.

On the page, there are two headings, one for Early Reviewers and one for Member Giveaways. Early Reviewers is a monthly cycle of giveaways, whereas Member Giveaways is an informal way of members sending out unneeded or unwanted books to those who would like to receive it.

I can confirm that all the giveaways are real, given that I’ve received multiple paperbacks, and quite a few eBooks. I personally prefer to hold the thick pages in my hand, rather view a book digitally, and I have been shipped books where the authors themselves have signed it and packaged it! I even have had a Holocaust survivor sign, and personally write out the mailing address. One author had his own stamp, where his profile picture was an adorable cat!

Thank you for reading this extremely long comment and I hope you benefit from this!

Hi! I wanted to reach out to you and suggest another website! Definitely check out owleyes.org – we’re a free e-library with hundreds of books, expert annotations, and classroom support. We’re browser based, so we work on any device (rather than being an app). Really handy for phone-addicted people like myself – I’m 3/4 of the way through Pride & Prejudice already!

I go to http://www.ebookdaily.com Everyday you get a list of free ebooks, When you sign up you choose which books you would like in different categories, eg: Nonfiction, Self Help, Religion and Spirituality, Health and Fitness, Biographies, Mysteries, and more! I have been a member on this site for a few years now and just love it. It is free to join which fits my frugal budget.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>